First Year Survival – Motherhood Essentials

Happy Memorial Day weekend everyone!

Oh man, being a parent is hard, right? No matter what anyone tells you prior to your baby’s arrival, there is nothing like experiencing it for yourself.  I would start off by gathering as much helpful advice as you can. Your friends and family are your greatest resource. Before I had my son, I asked almost every mom I knew what products they couldn’t live without. I know how rough it can be when you are in the throws of it all, but having good quality products to rely on can help ease the pain a bit.

Obviously, I could recommend a million products that I love, but there was not enough room and I wanted to narrow it down to my top faves. Listed below are my motherhood essentials. These are items that helped make the first year with my son a tad bit easier.

Wubbanub Pacifier: Why? Because if your child will take a pacifier it is a life saver. I can’t even tell you how many times I went in to Jax’s room in the middle of the night to plug a pacifier back in his mouth just to get him to go to sleep. What’s super hard is walking into your child’s room in the pitch black and trying desperately to find a tiny little pacifier that now could be anywhere in his crib or on the floor. These stuffed animals that are attached to the pacifier are easy to find.  I also found that they rest nicely on your baby’s chest keeping the pacifier from falling out.  You can also use the straps of your baby’s carseat to hold the stuffed animal in place, which keeps the pacifier from dropping while you are busy driving!

JuJu Be Diaper Bag: There is nothing better than having your hands free when carrying around your baby all day long. The key to your sanity is being prepared and organized. I love this diaper bag. You can’t go anywhere without baby essentials so this is a great bag to have with you at all times. Everything is easily accessible and the add on backpack straps make it convenient and easy to tote around.

Ola Baby Electric Nail Trimmer: No baby likes getting their nails trimmed, right? My hands were literally shaking every time I had to trim my son’s tiny little nails because I was terrified I would clip his skin. Well now you don’t have to worry because you can use an electric nail trimmer without any concern you may hurt your baby!

Beaba Baby Cook: This is for all the mommies who like to make their own baby food. There is absolutely nothing wrong with buying baby food if that’s what your prefer, but this product makes it so simple that you will probably want to start making your own. There is something calming about knowing your child is eating fresh food that you have prepared for them. The Beaba Baby Cook is simple.  You can just throw some fresh foods in for a quick steam or blend. The clean up process is easy too. The light on the Baby Cook blinks when your food is steamed, soft, and ready to go!

Dr Brown’s Bottles: If you have a newborn suffering with colic, it is important to invest in products that help to prevent or eliminate the gas which worsens the crying spells. Dr. Brown’s is our favorite line of bottles. Their Dr. Brown’s Options Bottles have an internal system that routes the air through vents within the bottle, bypassing the milk. This helps to reduce air bubble oxidation, preventing gas, as well as maintaining the vitamins in the milk. Make sure to check out Dr. Katie’s article on The Truth About Colic. It is a really good read for anyone going through this with their own little one.

Dr Brown’s Teether: Dr. Alison’s twins, Leah and Hayden love these cooling teethers. Now that their teeth are just starting to make an entrance, there have been many recent sleepless nights. Anything that can help ease their pain is important to have around your house. These tethers go right in the freezer and the cold helps numb the gums, reduce inflammation, and soothe your baby as they teethe.  They are also made in a great shape that makes it easy for your baby to hold onto.

Swaddle Me Swaddles: For the first 5 months my son lived in these swaddles. Eventually he became the incredible hulk and every morning we would find him bursting out of them. But up until then, they totally calmed him down and helped him sleep through the night! If you are a swaddle believer than definitely try these.

Medela Breast Pump: Go for the more expensive one if you can. I loved having a style that was electronic and cordless. I could walk around the house while pumping and get things done. If you are breastfeeding then you can spend most of your days pumping, so you might as well multi task. This version is actually new and it comes with a super cool app that helps you keep track of your pumping schedule.

Milk Snob Cover: Obsessed people!  A must buy. It covers your car seats and can also be worn as a breastfeeding cover. It comes in a million patterns and is the softest fabric ever. Love Love Love.

DockAtot: I love this product. It creates a super cozy cocoon for your baby. Perfect for naps or to dock right next to you on the couch. They also just created a toy arch that can be added to your DockATot so your kids can play in it as well.

Softsies PJs: These are just amazingly soft pajamas. The fabric is insane. I literally hate buttons. Zippers are the only way to go people. Off and on super fast and make changing easy!

Skip Hop Explore More Baby Center: These seats are great when mom or dad needs a break! Put your baby down and have some time to either take a breather or get some work done. I love this one because it provides a lot of stimulation and I love the sleek design. It is not bulky and will look nice in your home. I know that sounds silly, but I can’t stand when my house looks like a play gym.

Boogie Wipes Saline Spray: Boogie Wipes has an amazing nasal spray that helps relieve congestion and clear the nasal passages. It comes in a new grape scent that makes it easier for children to use, and less painful for us parents.  It is always good to be prepared and have this product in your medicine cabinet!

Boon Feeder: I love this feeder by Boon. When my son was little he would sit in his highchair and gnaw on this thing forever. Yes they get messy but isn’t that what being a baby is all about? He loved all of the different fruits I put in there. I would freeze banana and put it in the feeder.  He he loved the cold feeling on his gums, especially while he was teething.

Binxy Baby Shopping Cart Seat: Ok, I never had this when my son was little but c’mon, you need this! This is the coolest invention ever and I wish I had come up with it. Jax never liked the grocery store. This would have made things so much easier!

I hope this helps in your first year journey!

Xo,

CG